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The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725 . However, the origin of the Order is said to be medieval, the earliest mention being in 1128. The name derives from the ancient ceremony wherein individuals participated in a vigil of Fasting , Prayer , and Bathing on the day before being knighted (the ceremony was discontinued in 1815). The Order consists of the Sovereign (the British Sovereign ), the Great Master ( HRH The Prince Of Wales ), and three Classes of members:
Originally founded as a military order of chivalry, the star (or pip) worn as army officers' rank insignia is that of the Order of the Bath. Members now belong to either the Civil or the Military Division. The Order's motto is ''Tria iuncta in uno'' ( Latin for "Three joined in one"), a reference to either the union of England , Scotland and Ireland , or to the Holy Trinity . The former is more likely; a recurring symbol of the Order comprises three crowns. Another motto, ''Ich dien'' (older German for "I serve") is sometimes used, but only by members of the Order who serve in the Military . The Order is the fourth-most senior of the British Orders Of Chivalry , after The Most Noble Order Of The Garter , The Most Ancient And Most Noble Order Of The Thistle , and The Most Illustrious Order Of St Patrick . The last of the aforementioned Orders—which relates to Ireland , no longer a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have been made to it since 1934. HISTORY over suits in modern times. During the nineteenth century, as depicted above, they wore them over imitations of seventeenth century dress.]] Under a tradition that dates to Mediæval times, special Knighthood s were conferred on important royal occasions such as Coronations . These knighthoods were known as Knighthoods of the Bath (postnominal letters "KB") due to the ritual bathing observed prior to the investiture. The practice had been discontinued by the reign of Charles II . George I revived the practice, instituting the Order of the Bath by Letters Patent , upon the advice of his Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole (who wished to control a source of political Patronage ). The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Great Master and thirty-six Knights Companion, all of whom were senior military figures (see List Of Knights Companion Of The Bath ). After 1815, at the end of the Napoleonic Wars , the Prince Regent (later George IV) divided the Order into Civil and Military Divisions, the latter with three classes (Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commanders, and Companions of the Bath; postnominal letters "GCB", "KCB" and "CB" ), causing some complaints that such an expansion would reduce the prestige of the Order. The vigil of Fasting , Prayer , and Bathing were also formally abolished at the same time. In 1847, the Order was again expanded into parallel Military and Civil Divisions, both with three classes. Several further amendments have been made since. COMPOSITION The British Sovereign is the Sovereign of the Order of the Bath. The next-most senior member of the Order is the Great Master, of which there have been nine:
The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. The statutes also provide for the following:
Women were not admitted to the Order until 1971. In 1975, (in 1989) and George H. W. Bush (in 1993), and one previously for his service as Supreme Allied Commander in World War II Dwight D. Eisenhower . The limits prescribed by the statutes of the Order have often been raised; the Order originally consisted of less than forty members, but now includes over two thousand. The statutes permit the Sovereign to disregard the limits when appointing members whose actions deserve a "peculiar honour or reward." These "Additional Members," as well as Honorary Members, do not count towards the numerical maxima imposed by the statutes. OFFICERS The Order of the Bath has six officers:
The office of Dean is held by the Dean Of Westminster . The King of Arms, responsible for Heraldry , is known as the Bath King of Arms; he is not, however, a member of the College Of Arms , like many heralds. The Order's Usher is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod; he does not, unlike his Order of the Garter equivalent (the Gentleman Usher Of The Black Rod ) perform any duties in the House Of Lords . VESTMENTS AND ACCOUTREMENTS Members of the Order wear elaborate costumes on important occasions (such as its quadrennial investiture ceremonies and Coronations ), which vary by rank:
At lesser occasions, simpler insignia are used:
On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform or eveningwear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. The collars and badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross are returned to the Central Chancery Of The Orders Of Knighthood upon the decease of their owners. All other insignia may be retained by their owners. CHAPEL with a procession of Knights of the Bath, by Canaletto , 1749.]] The Chapel of the Order is Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey . Every four years, an installation ceremony, presided over by the Great Master, and a religious service are held in the Chapel; the Sovereign attends every alternate ceremony. The Sovereign and each knight who has been installed is allotted a stall in the Choir of the chapel. Since there are a limited number of stalls in the Chapel, only the most senior Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed. By convention, stalls are offered alternately to members of the military and civil divisions. Waits between admission to the Order and installation may be very long; for instance, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten Of Burma was created a Knight Grand Cross in 1955, but was installed in 1972. Above each stall, the occupant's heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest. Under English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear helms or crests; instead, the Coronet appropriate to the dame's rank is used. Above the crest or coronet, the knight's or dame's heraldic Banner is hung, emblazoned with his or her Coat Of Arms . At a considerably smaller scale, to the back of the stall is affixed a piece of Brass (a "stall plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling and crest (or coronet or crown) are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather, they remain permanently affixed somewhere about the stall, so that the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights (and now Ladies) throughout history. PRECEDENCE AND PRIVILEGES Members of the Order of the Bath are assigned positions in the order of precedence. Wives of male members also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of female members, however, are not assigned any special precedence. Generally, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives. (See Order Of Precedence In England And Wales for the exact positions.) Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders prefix "Sir," and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders prefix "Dame," to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore, honorary members and clergymen do not use the accolade of knighthood. Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the Post-nominal "GCB"; Knights Commanders use "KCB"; Dames Commanders use "DCB"; Companions use "CB." Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. Furthermore, they may encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a red circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commanders and Companions may display the circlet, but not the collar, around their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. SEE ALSO
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